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IMPOTENCE FOLLOWING FRACTURED PELVIS AND RUPTURED URETHRA
Author(s) -
Gibson Geoffrey R.
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1970.tb11912.x
Subject(s) - urethra , neurovascular bundle , pelvis , medicine , surgery , sexual intercourse , urology , population , environmental health
SUMMARY Impotence, defined as the inability to produce an erection adequate for sexual intercourse, was present in 13 (37 per cent.) of 35 patients followed up for 3 years or more after fractured pelvis and ruptured urethra. An additional 8 patients (21 per cent.) experienced a delay in the return of erections of up to 19 months after injury. Impotence was more common after complete rupture of the membranous urethra than after rupture of the bulbar urethra. The mechanism of impotence is unknown, but it is likely to involve interference with the normal neurovascular control of erection, probably through arterial damage in the region of the injury.